Ricoh reshuffle sees Pentax take control of cameras

Ricoh has announced that its Pentax Ricoh Imaging (PRI) business unit will take full control of the design, development and sales of the company's cameras, worldwide. PRI was created when Ricoh bought Pentax and is the business that has been responsible for the design, manufacturing and sales of Pentax cameras. It will now absorb the consumer businesses of Ricoh's Personal Multimedia Product Company, which was responsible for the design, manufacture and sale of Ricoh cameras. The change will take effect from April 1st 2012.

Press Release:

Re-organization of Imaging Systems Business including Digital Camera Business

Tokyo, February 9, 2012 – Ricoh Company, Ltd. (President and CEO: Shiro Kondo, hereinafter Ricoh) announces an organizational change to its imaging system business including security system business and consumer digital camera business.

Since October 1, 2011 when PENTAX RICOH IMAGING COMPANY (President and CEO：Zenji Miura, hereinafter PRI) was established, Ricoh managed its global imaging system business under two brands, RICOH and PENTAX. Specifically RICOH brand digital cameras were designed, developed and sold by Personal Multimedia Product Company (hereinafter PMMC), an internal organization of Ricoh, while PENTAX brand digital cameras were designed, developed and sold by PRI.

In an effort to strengthen customer relationships and provide innovative products and services, Ricoh will re-organize its structure.

1.Effective date：・April 1, 2012（plan）

2.Scope：・Worldwide

3.New functions of each business unit：・PRI: Consumer businesses such as digital cameras for B2C market(This includes Ricoh development resources to improve capabilities and supportRicoh branded cameras )・Ricoh PMMC: B2B businesses including security system business, and imaging solutionsbusiness for B2B market

Well let's hope the direction the company goes won't change to much from serious photography to more of those colorful amateur stuff. I guess I'll still have to wait some years until they release a Full Frame for professionals instead of mirrorless and weird colorschemes. Somehow I don't like the recent direction at all despite the brilliant technical specs of my K20D or my K5.

Those colors help sell cameras. Pentax main objective is to earn money, not to please a few. FF is completely in the hands of Canon and Nikon, entering that market would probably be pretty idiotic and more of a status symbol. But Pentax has the 645D as a status symbol, in a market with less competition too.

Look at the Pentax cameras. They are different, and they have to be. K-5... only tiny semi-pro DSLR... there is no alternative. K-x and K-r: Colorful, attention grabbing, and still good cameras. People who buy these may upgrade to the K-5 later. Q: Tiny... totally unlike all other ILCs (not sure if that's a smart idea, but look at Nikon, even THEY didn't dare to enter the APS-C ILC market! And where is Canon?). K-01: Stylish, different, bold, probably most comfortable to use, and tons of lenses. Again, owners of these may buy a K-r/K-5 later or already have one.

Doing yet another me-too camera won't help them (look at Samsung's NX series).

I bought a K5 today despite my reservations about the company's direction with the K01,it's a very polarising camera. A long and extensive journey of research will be realised on delivery in a few days. Thanks to all who politely provided their considered responses earlier in the thread.

I stumbled into Pentax DSLRs, having tired of noisy, dusty sensors in my compacts (I've had a few). Till recently, I just had Pentax SLRs: SPX (film), K-x, K-7, K-5, but now complemented with a Sony NEX-5N (with K Mount adapter). The 5N is champion in good light, and snowt conditions, the K-5 wins the rest!

It sounds like you have found an ideal kit for your needs.Our reasons for leaving compacts are the same. Partially sealed lens assembly in my G-series Canons let down what was otherwise a fantastic series of camera. Very expensive to service and really not suitable for long term outdoor use.

I purchased a K-5 in Nov last year and love it to bits, the main winners are - everything- it is awesome, if you get wr lenses it's great for taking out into the rain and shooting fantastic shots. I had no idea I could love a machine so much, that and it is built like a tank when compared to other brands in its price range...the sensor knocks my socks off every time I take some photos in less than awesome light. I hope that you are not disappointed and doubt that you will be.

This is great news for photographers who use 'The Poor Mans Leica' equipment, for you young guys that's the nickname Pentax has had since the 1960's, it's due to how great their glass was (and still is) and at reasonable prices. Money (the lack of) was always the issue with Pentax, Hoya put Pentax on autopilot, Ricoh is putting money into Pentax. Yes, Canon & Nikon have massive lens lines, but many are just IS/VR versions of their non-IS/VR lenses, while every Pentax mount lens is IS/VR, something Canon & Nikon can never claim.

I like the idea of the Pentax and Ricoh merge. Both are camera companies with good heritages.

Don't condemn a camera company because it introduces a mirrorless camera. That's where the demand is in Japan. If you want Pentax/Ricoh to prosper then that's what they have to do. I think DSLRs will still be around for good while yet.

The K-5 was been a very satisfying camera to own (as was the K20D & the K100D Super). I like having something different from most other people at a group shoot. It was two Pentax shooters and a Sony guy compared to the rest of the Nikon & Canon users.

I don't want the best camera and lenses - I'm not that rich - but I do want the best bang-for-the buck and the K-5 & old primes with a few new zooms suits me just fine.

To all the "analysts" - since you have no info regarding the personnel and the exact management structure of the re-engineered subsidiary - all further "info", conclusions and attacks are just pure speculations.

Your post if followed would remove 90% of all comments on this site and even after DPR tests and people use the equipment any conclusions they make would still be only opinions and that takes out the remaining 10%.

Fortunately this isn't a matter of national security, world peace, or critical brain surgery - it's just stuff about cameras. So rampant speculation is harmless and interesting.

Personally I hope Pentax comes back in a big way as an alternative to the Big Three of Canon, Nikon, and now Sony. All the Big Three's gear is overpriced in the U.S. even at the current Yen/dollar exchange rates. Right now Pentax appears to be making a solid if limited line of consumer/enthusiast cameras and lenses. I hope their offerings broaden and they succeed. To put my money where my speculation is, I plan to buy a K-5 in the near future.

ENicolas, if only that were the case here in New Zealand. The K5 retails at over $2500 for the body alone, which is out of the range for most of us on a working wage. The Kr is about $1500 with the two kit lens', which, at three weeks wages, is still stretching the budget but is at least reasonably affordable.

It never fails...any sort of Pentax post and the Canon/Nikon/Sony/Etc sheeple trolls make their daily appearance to bash Pentax once again. It gets to be tiring as a fan of Pentax. This move shows faith in Pentax from Ricoh...they just handed the reins of their consumer imaging division over to Pentax. The sheeple can "bahh bahh bahh bash" all they want. To me this move shows Pentax continues to roll along.

It's simple people...really simple. If you want extremely reasonable priced imaging equipment compared to the just about every single other company buy a Pentax system. Do you care about class leading IQ? Buy a Pentax. They have supported the K mount for decades, and there are a crap ton of lenses out there. Are Pentax's available in stores in the US? No. Are they carried by every single online retailer? YES.

Stick to the Canon/Nikon/Etc posts and profess your love there...do not jump on the Pentax posts to do your typical trolling. Haters......

Honestly I don't care what the product looks like....I care about the product that comes out of it. (I also don't think Pentax DSLR's look horrible...maybe the compact P&S weatherproof grippy ones do though)

Agreed Nerdlinger. I usually find when people bash and criticize things it means there's insecurity in their choice. As Michael Dell said about the 'little player' Apple in 1997. "What would I do? I’d shut Apple down and give the money back to the shareholders,” Hmmm I wonder where Pentax will be in 15 years :-)

Don't take the bashers seriously. People who go out of their way to put other people down are often insecure about themselves, whether they know it or not. On the other hand, people who are comfortable when not following the crowd are more likely to be secure and personally confident in themselves. Although some Pentaxians are always looking over the fence at Canon and Nikon, most are satisfied that they have invested in a high quality system that suits their needs.

I almost bought the K5 just over a week ago, everyting about it felt and worked right,a few days later I saw the KO1 and the money's stayed in my pocket. If this is the Ricoh/Pentax way, then I'm afraid that they will find themselves with some big problems, I'm not buying into a system from a company that might not be there in 3-5 years. If the slim,light and capable NEX7, was weatherproofed, I'd be happy to wait 6 months for it. Hint Pentax.

So you want a weatherproof camera and almost purchased the weatherproof K-5 but seen the K-01 mirrorless and changed your mind and now want a weatherproof NEX-7. I like turtles.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMNry4PE93Y

@tessl8d - K-5 and nex-7 are very different cameras so I wonder why would you compare them. And they also differ hugely in terms fa available lenses. As for k-01, you have to understand that it is not a competitor for nex or m43 etc. It is a camera for existing pentax k-mount and gives them another more compact body to use with their lenses. If I owned a k-5 and a bunch of pentax lenses specially some limiteds then I would gladly buy a k-01 to use with my limited to have a more compact setup for times when I dont want to carry my k-5. That would be very different from going for a mirrorless system like nex or m43 which will be even more compact but require me to buy into a complete new set of lenses and accessories etc. Both are very different products.

I don't get it. The K-01 is a very attractive camera with some great features, but it is aimed at a market segment that does not include people like you. That does not mean that Pentax will henceforth ignore other market segments that do include people like you. If you look at other camera manufacturers, you will see that they make cameras ranging from cheap P&Ss all the way up to high end professional gear. I would not worry about Pentax's future. Ricoh has very deep pockets, and Pentax will compete with the big boys at multiple levels.

The K-01 is what might SAVE Pentax. With the Q I was thinking WTF, but the K-01 is almost perfect, from the wonderful design to the lens mount, what it needs now is a cheaper brother and a more professional version, plus a few of the typical lenses modified for the K-01 line of cameras (imagine a NEX-5 with the 18-55... hard to hold, awkward, weird. Now imagine the fat K-01 grip with a lens that sticks out of the camera just so much that the whole combo is as fat as the NEX-5 with that sort of lens. Vastly improved balance, grip, comfort).

I am a Nikon person and have been since 1958. My back up system is Pentax, the K5 models. Some of the commentary here is ludicrous to say the least. Pentax suffers only from a failure in the promotion department. Maybe that will change. Their partnership with Hoya/Tokina is a positive one and their own glass has some very fine lenses. We won't even bother to discuss the 645...a top shelf product, so lets hope the next thing we see is full frame weather tight Pentax model.

I am a newcomer into DSLR world... and bought a Pentax. Do I fit into your ideas? The whole system? Why should I consider the whole lineup, I do not buy 5 cameras. I bought only one and sought something that met my needs. My K-r has features that the contenders from C/N did not have, or had for much more money. I do not need to bother about lenses stabilisation, I can buy 30 years old lens and it will work perfectly on my DSLR. Why should I care, that C/N offer full frame? I won´t buy any. Why should I care Pentax has only two APSC models? One of them fits. And if I buy a new Pentax body in 10 years, I can be sure I will use my current lenses (can Nikon owner say this?).

I just bought a Pentax K-5. My last DSLR was a Nikon D70, and while I have a few Nikon lenses, Nikon can't seem to get production ramped back up on the D7000, which is the only Nikon body that hits both my wanted feature list and price range right now. I need a more modern camera now, not in 3 months... So I got into a Pentax, maybe as a crutch, but honestly, if I like it, I will stick with it. It certainly looks good on paper, and the image quality is very similar to the D7000. I will miss the Nikon CLS though. People should care more about photos, and less about equipment :)

Why would someone like you buy into an IQ orientated working tool like the K-5, while he can use other brands with swivel screens, touchscreens, built-in MP3 player, GPS, Built-in web browser and a youtube account ready to use? So if not buying into this system, why would you loose our time posting here?

Because of the old lenses, because Pentax is the only company to offer a semi-pro camera (all I'll ever need) that isn't a goddamn brick. Does Canon expect me to go to the gym to use a 7D for an extended period of time? It's just too big and heavy, and for what? I fail to see the advantage of it over the K-5.

I like the compact Canons... I have 2 (one that I use regularly, and the other one I used a lot too), my mum one. But their DSLRs either feel like cheap toys (materials are awful, like a toy camera) or are too big and heavy. Pentax strikes a nice balance.

And lets not forget that Pentax knows how to make lenses, even the kit lenses are fairly decent.

Certainly a logical step to take , and interesting development otherwise ... Let's hope Ricoh's very nice GR-D and GXR and Pentax K-5, 645D technology can cross pollinate and give us even better more innovative products.

On the surface this sounds like the worst move possible and potentially the end of Ricoh.

Like other commenters I have no confidence in Pentax's ability to design good cameras. They certainly could have never built such unique, well-designed and well-built cameras as the GRD and GXR. I think a lot of Ricoh users will be very nervous about this.

I could only hope that the designers who come up with the GRD and GXR are allowed to keep working as a reasonably autonomous unit.

Isn't it ironic that Ricoh buy Pentax and now Pentax are taking over management of the Ricoh camera division?

Not ironic at all and an entirely pragmatic move. Ricoh is primarily an office equipment company with deep pockets, Pentax Imaging an imaging company with little cash. Both companies are idiosyncratic, but there's a shared design philosophy in the Ricoh GR and Pentax Limited products that you don't see elsewhere.

What are you smoking, man? The K-5 is widely regarded as the best DSLR in its class, and Pentax makes some great compact lenses to mount on it. The 645D is a category busting camera in the medium format realm. In my view, the merger is likely to be good for both companies.

Pentax's K5 might be a fine camera but it is still a generic, if good dSLR. Generally, there is scant innovation in top-end dSLRs and little to distinguish between one manufacturer and another. But as Ricoh only make compacts any discussion of dSLRs is not really relevant. I hoped that it would clear that I am talking about the impact of the move on Ricoh's high-end semi-pro compact designs - an area of camera design in which Ricoh have excelled and I'm afraid Pentax have not – certainly judging by the Q and the K-01.

You can bring up the 645D – but it is a £7000 camera - again not relevant to the design of compacts.

I wouldn't dispute that but their camera division have been losing money and so they have now handed over design of their cameras to effectively another company who may or may not protect the camera design value of the brand.

Generally, I think the point of my post is clear – it's not intended as baiting exercise designed to annoy Pentax followers (and I'm sorry that some of them have felt the need to resort to petty name-calling)*. It's to illuminate the fact that the press release does nothing to assure Ricoh buyers that the brand will retain its design team, its autonomy in its unique direction and design ideals – protect the GRD and GXR lines.

(*I even have a Pentax Super MX on the shelf next to me this minute - I'm a fan of that camera and the legacy of the brand)

Pentax design bad cameras? Are you having a laugh - read any reviews of the K5, and see the praise reigning down on the design. The Q, like the concept or not (me not) - it is a mastery of design. K-01 is a polarizer - I quite like it, others don't - but it is well designed.

All of the pentax cameras are a bit quirky or different in different ways. Certianly they are innovative, digital spirit level ala K7 and every other camera-maker onwards for example.

Ricoh, on the same hand - is quirky and innovative. Why wouldn't Pentax support the Ricoh brand (unless their loss making is so extreme) - when their philosophy is so similar. but there does need to be buyers for the cameras...GXR?

Ricoh btw was the first camera i ever owned - so i have a soft spot for them. I like the idea of the GXR system, although I wouldn't buy one (not too portable with all those modules - esp. compared to some of the lovely pentax primes).

.....I see some here are only concerned with outward appearance. Pentax K-5 is full magnesium alloy body and a joy to behold rather than the plastic rubbish Canon/Nikon/Sony push to the masses of sheep out there.

philo123, I see you are one of those people who thinks: plastic = bad and metal = good, which is quite ignorant.By the way Pentax also make "plastic junk" too in the form of the K-r, Kx & K-m.Canon, Nikon and Sony cameras from the midrange (e.g. Canon 7D) up have magnesium alloy bodies too.

Not at all Rupert, but when people bash Pentax they should look at the facts and their quality. In the UK Canon 7D £1150, Nikon D7000 -£950, Sony a77 - £1100, Pentax K-5 - £700. None of the "Big 3" can match Pentax for value. These are all so-called mid range cameras.

The mid range cameras from Canon and Nikon are huge though, they are expensive, heavy and the layout is weird (ok, I shoot Pentax, but from the first moment I held my Pentax in my hands I pretty much knew where everything was, and could use it blindly pretty fast, furthermore the buttons are where they can be reached easily).

Also the plastic on entry level Canons feels extremely cheap (even many of their compacts seem to be better!), while the plastic on the K-x/K-r is okay-ish, and good on my older entry level Pentax (ok, what was entry level back then).

...and the GR / GXR is a beauty to behold? It looks like a polaroid in a car crash to me. But that doesn't matter as a camera should be judged by it's output.

The Q is a point in hand, great design, poor output (for the price if it stays so high). but it will have it's market.

Then there is the experience. Maybe the experience of a Q, or GXR is just as good as a K5 for the right people. K01 - I'm certain there is a market, and it's about time people realise that it's not only europe and USA/Canada that buy cameras. Japan is a quirky place with wild gadgets galore - is it a wonder that Pentax designs cameras that might appeal to or even target the asian market (about 55% of the world population). The narrow-mindedness on here astonishes sometimes.

Every camera that sells has a market or it wouldn't exist. End of. For me the d7000 was much to square, clunky and awkward - for the guy next to me who bought one it was perfect (he refused to try the K5 btw ... as it was a pentax).

The size of the two parts before the merger has no relevance whatsoever in the amalgamated venture. You have NO idea who is managing the new division, how many engineers, designers etc come from each company. The only thing you're basing it on is the size of Ricoh vs Pentax camera divisions BEFORE merger.

The only thing you base your reasoning on is superficialities such as which name comes first. Well, then I should add that PRI is owned by a company named RICOH, so one might as well complain that it is Pentax that is being swallowed... It's neither.

Read point 3 again. It clearly says PRI (Pentax) will be in charge of consumer businesses such as digital cameras for the B2C market. PMMC (Ricoh) will be in charge of B2B including security system business, and imaging solutions business.

"3.New functions of each business unit：・PRI: Consumer businesses such as digital cameras for B2C market(This includes Ricoh development resources to improve capabilities and supportRicoh branded cameras )・Ricoh PMMC: B2B businesses including security system business, and imaging solutionsbusiness for B2B market"

Ricoh's cameras were previously developed by a division of the PMMC. This division is now moved out of PMMC, which will focus solely on B2B such as copiers etc, to the NEWLY CREATED PRI, which it will form together with the UNIT OF Pentax that was bought out from Hoya.

Most of Pentax remains under Hoya ownership.

Ricoh cameras will NOT be under mercy of Pentax developers. They will be developed side by side by the same people, as an effort to improve marketing and clarity for customers.

Spacelounge is on top of this. It really sounds like they are consolidating the two sides of things: business/security products under Ricoh, consumer products under Pentax. No duplication of effort across divisions means leaner and more efficient operations.

The *culture* side of things depends on the personnel that go to each group. Will managers and execs from Ricoh take over Pentax? Or will Pentax people stay in charge and call the shots? That will decide what kinds of products we see in the future and which design philosophy wins-out.

I would like to know what does this mean for the future of the Ricoh camera lines - in particular GXR and GRD. Pentax started with very particular approach to mirror-less with the Q and K01 (whether one likes them or not).

I guess we just have to wait and see over the period of 1 - 2 years - the restructuring and its effect on the camera development will probably take some time.

let's hope the reorganization gets rid of whatever obstacles that have so far prevented the marketing of a full frame model. With Sony working on its second generation full frame model, and Nikon bringing out its 3rd generation full frame, Pentax needs to start working, or it may be condemned to doing what Olympus is doing: putting old wine (M43 sensor) in an older bottle (a camera body that apes the OM series inelegantly).

I shoot Nikon FX for work, but when I'm not working I bring my Olympus M43 camera pretty much everywhere. Output is just as good in most circumstances and with the OM-D coming out, I think I'll be reshuffling to have part of my work photos on the Olympus. FX is big, bulky and a pain to haul especially around the world. An M43 kit is very compact while capable of excellent results.

the way forward is actually smaller sensors, which means smaller cameras and lenses, and a bigger potential market for the same product. (your mom probably wont want a DSLR because its too large, but if the DSLR made way for compacts with the same or better IQ, then she could be a potential customer for the same product. or a less expensive more simplified version of the same)

You say 'condemned' as if FF is all that's worth being in the camera business for. Get over the FF thing and take photos. I prefer the handling of APS-C and m4/3, the image quality is getting better all the time and you get enough DoF control if you buy the right lenses.

I really do not like the K01 as it does not have an EVF. However i am hopeful they will have a FF DSLR soon using Sony sensors. Pentax is one of the best. I love their prime lenses. The K% was way ahead of everyone. Now it is time to go forward with a new DSLR or 2.

In just a few months of the official combination, we have already seen positive results. The K-01 uses Ricoh's peaking technology for manual focus assist. There was also an official mention of a K-mount module for the GXR system. Not to mention the rumours of rehiring quality Pentax lens engineers Hoya axed. It sure looks like an acquisition done properly to make quality tools even better. They even started with similar goals, just look at the K-7/K-5 and GR/GXR designs. Comparable small, rugged, and fully featured semi-pro.

I don’t see why the k5 should be considered semi-pro. On balance, it’s a far more capable tool than any film camera/film combo (short of large format). While it might not equal Nikon and Canon offerings in the bells and whistles department, as an imaging device it has all of the basic professional features (sealed, metal body, etc.), and is a bargain, to boot.

smafdy, I think even Pentax calls the K-5 a semi-pro body. It doesn't prevent actual professionals from using the camera in their business. I personally have a K-7 and K-5, so I'm not intending the label to be derogatory or lacking in some way. The K-5 has been out quite a while now and is still one of the best in its class feature and output wise... and now the best value. Have you seen the price of the D7000? It actually costs more now, if you can find one.

My main point was that Ricoh and Pentax are a good fit because they design cameras in a similar way that is appealing to us.

I see no issues with the K 01 other than not not looking like an old camera. Ever since the Samsung joint venture ended, Pentax has made phenomenally well thought out DSLR's. They get bought by Ricoh and then get placed in the driver's seat.

From the business point of view, they should look at the feedback of their products from the general public. For sure, some people feels K01 is a good camera; but if there is semi-majority feels that's no good, then the company should be very careful when they introduce the new product to the market. Sometimes, they need to adjust their marketing statregy too.

If by "innovative" you mean "ugly as sin", and "too large for a mirrorless body with no viewfinder or even the option to attach one", I guess you are correct. Or maybe you meant "puny sensor size and mediocre IQ", as in the Q. I sure hope Pentax gets its act together. It's not that long since they showed what they're capable of when at their best (K5)

@locke_fc - handled either have you? Checked the reviews of the Q (in case not, it's getting good write-ups about IQ for sensor size)?I'm betting that the K-01 will feel just right in the hand, and not totally unballanced like the NEX

I bet they do. Why would they design a camera that is only for dpreview posters? This thing is not meant to be a professional tool. It's meant to mix up the market, to give people a designer camera, a fashion statement, that effortlessly takes great photos. Something a mom or dad can use to take photos of their kid growing up, without having a huge camera or having to use a viewfinder.

There is a market for that. And a more professional K-02 or whatever it will be called will probably follow (when EVF tech has matured, and unlike Sony etc. they already have a great upgrade path for the K-01... their DSLRs).

Ricoh is a well run, highly profitable company. The bought Pentax for a song and this move shows that the issues Pentax had were with Hoya, not with Pentax.

I looked at Hoya financials in detail ( I was looking to buy Hoya stock) and they clearly showed the camera division of Pentax was making money. Not bucket loads, but a profit. Apparently Ricoh read them too. The same filings led me to believe that Hoya was going to starve the camera division of R&D and capital investment. Hoya bought Pentax for every that WASNT cameras and lenses. Rioch bout JUST cameras and lenses.

Since becoming part of Ricoh in October Pentax has:

Introduced its first mirrorless, the Q, which is also the smallest ILC on the market.

Introduced its second mirrorless, the K-01, which is also the first mirrorless to use a traditional full size mount making it compatible with more lenses than any other mirrorless camera

Introduced a lens roadmap for the K mount that includes 14 lenses, 2 lenses and an K-mount adapter for the Q and 2 new lenses for the 645D

Introduced tethering software for the 645D (WAY too expensive!!!!)

Introduced an update to their industry leading WG rugged P&S

In less than 6 months they have introduced new systems and reinforced support for existing systems.

Based on the K-Mount roadmap, it is reasonable to assume a new DSLR is in the works - something Pentax UK has hinted at. Based on the recently announced "mirrorless only" K-mount lens, it is reasonable to assume the K-01 will be followed by other K-0 bodies. The announcement of the DA 560mm shows Pentax is addressing one of their perceived/actual weaknesses - long lenses. The DA* 18-85 (estimated) is likely a fast zoom in the portrait range. The DA50 will K-mount a modern "nifty fifty" and may hit at a Full Frame DSLR.

Ricoh said when the bought Pentax that they were buying the company, not IP or factories. Todays announcement shows that they meant that. This move demonstrates a vote of confidence for the vision Pentax leadership has and the ability Ricoh thinks they have in executing that vision.

And it seems they're also rehiring engineers that were let go by Hoya back then. If there's anything negative I see here, it's not coming from the side of Pentax, lol.

Anyway, the Q and K-01 were probably designed back in Hoya days I guess (I don't think it's feasible to actually design and build a camera in 6 months haha), and the lens roadmap seems to be a revival of stuff that were shelved during Hoya days due to lack of funding.

Ricoh said in it's media release that it acquired Hoya Corp.’s Pentax brand as a bid to strengthen its position in the still-growing digital SLR camera market. The goal of the acquisition is to establish a firmer presence in the consumer business, which has been a considerable challenge for Ricoh.Why did Pentax market share drop if it had digital SLR cameras and lenses to sell but failed? Pentax's distribution is what let it down. That's why I said Ricoh strength is sales, marketing and product development. If Ricoh want to succeed with SLR's and CSC's they need to remember that.

I think people may be missing the point of the K-01: not everyone wants the tiniest camera in existence. In fact it's the larger body that makes it appealing to someone like me who has gargantuan caveman hands.

This "shrink it until it's smaller than my phone" mentality makes little sense to me. As cameras shrink more control goes to the virtual side in menus. I want a working camera that sits on a tripod and has buttons and knobs so I can focus on the image I'm after and run the thing by feel. I bought a Canon G12 for this very reason: controls. The ISO and exposure compensation dials, along with the dual control dials make it a great tripod camera for a small fixed-lens model. I wish DSLRs had as much on-the-body controls.

These slick little slabs of plastic and glass may be sexy - but are they practical as working tools?

Let us hope that Ricoh allows those companies in each market who import and sell Ricoh to continue do so by leveraging the Pentax brand name. Ricoh today only raises more questions than it answers by letting Pentax, a company that allowed itself to hit bottom, absorb Ricoh camera division. Pentax will do well to learn from Ricoh's management and it sales strategies and one hopes they don't throw the baby out with the bath water.

Third place sales in Japan in 2011; behind Canon and Nikon but hardly the "bottom of the barrel". And during that time of financial hardship, they managed to produce some seriously knock-out cameras. Can't wait to see what they do next!

No necessarily. Ricoh have by far the best user interface of any camera. With regards to quality, I would say with no official stats, that they are no different from any other camera manufacturer and probably better than Fuji.

Guesses, indeed. Ricoh quality is absolutely on a par with Canon or Nikon, they just don't have the name recognition (unless you need a copier). Also in common with Canon and Nikon, Ricoh has other businesses that make good money which allows them to make and market niche cameras.

I have never owned a Ricoh camera, but I have never heard any Ricoh owner complain about the quality. From owners comments my impression has always been that Ricoh cameras are very solid which function the way they should and have very good interface.

@Richard Murdey. Actually, I am one of the few people that loved the idea as it incorporate some of the latest technology and industrial design. I am in fact using an iPhone 4 now and look forward to 5 later this year.

BTW, I also love the idea of EVIL/Mirrorless as it removes design constraints imposed by prism and mirror (I am also using one). I just did not expect so many company and people jumping on the retro bandwagon with fake OVF, dials and hump.

The first day of April has broad significance in Japan. It marks the beginning of the government's fiscal year. Many corporations follow suit. In addition, corporations often form or merge on that date. Konica & Minolta for instance.

Yeah - the Americans and Europeans here may have some trouble understanding the Japanese business culture. In the U.S., anyway, not only is April 1st "April Fools Day", a day dedicated to telling lies for fun, but April is when we have to pay taxes - so it has an evil taint to it.

Today there are more and more bizarre people, or, people who want to be bizarre – unorthodox. Someone must address such population, if other camera makers are happy being complacent, stiff and unimaginative.

Hello, My k20D has a big hole, after falling down from 2 meters and still works perfectly. My K5D is used on motorcycles, with rain, vibrations, etc... Yes, I use tools , and tools suffer... I can rely on Pentax... Concerning design, the kx in white is still the best to do street portraits, as people feel comfortable with what they notice as a "funny" camera...Long life to Pentax :)

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